Moving is everything but cheap, and that can result in a lot of stress when it comes to moving. Failing to prepare financially can result in unexpected expenses that will be too stressful for anyone who wants to have a smooth and seamless relocation. But if you don’t have that much experience with moving, how do you plan a moving budget and how do you know what you need to pay and where can you save? We have you covered when it comes to everything! Planning a moving budget is not that difficult as you might think at the beginning. Before you start planning your moving budget, take a look at our list of questions you should ask yourself. We are here to help you not to overspend for your move! Let’s start!
Cost for hiring local movers
Planning on hiring local movers comes with some expense. There are numerous Seattle movers and you can find a company that is suitable for your moving budget, no matter how big or small it is. When it comes to finding local movers if you are moving on the budget, it is not enough to type cheap movers near me to find them, you will have to dig deeper. Some local movers will provide you with a quote that includes the cost of labor and fuel, and you will have to pay taxes and equipment on top. On the other hand, some budget movers are including all of this in their price. That is why you should be careful when hiring local movers.
Save on local movers by doing a detailed research
Speaking of hiring local movers, you should do detailed research before hiring any company because the price and the services might be different. Before you agree to anything that your local movers are offering, make sure to ask them everything about the price and the service they are offering. This is the only way you will be sure to have local movers who are transparent about the price. Also, you want to find local movers who can meet all of your requirements and needs. The last thing that you want is to have over your local movers and to learn they cannot do everything for you. Not only this will be stressful, but you will have to find someone else to help you with that, and that will bring new expenses to your account. Don’t forget to check if your local movers are insured and if you should purchase the additional moving insurance.
Moving insurance
Of course, if you have something too valuable and the basic coverage insurance that your local movers are offering is not good enough for you, you will have to count on the expenses you will have to spend for third-party insurance. If you don’t want to spend too much on the additional insurance, but you still need to get it, you can always purchase it for particular items only.
Costs for a DIY move
If you want to perform a move on your own, don’t think that the only expense you will have is to rent a moving truck, because there are other things you will have to consider. When it comes to this type of moving service, you will have to be as detailed as possible. Here are some of the expenses you will have along the way:
Truck rental: Unless you don’t have any pieces of furniture and you are moving just a couple of suitcases, you will have to rent a moving truck, and the price might vary from company to company.
Gas: This is one of the expenses that you won’t have if you hire local movers, but if you are moving on your own, you will have to check with your rental company about the specific rules about how much gas you need to return the truck.
Equipment rental: The truck rental company might be able to rent out to you the equipment that will help you perform your move easier. If this is not the case, you can check with the local hardware store if they can rent you some equipment instead. When you hire local movers, these are always included in the price, so reconsider your moving budget.
Packing supplies
It doesn’t matter if you are planning to hire local movers to help you with packing or you are going to perform that task on your own, you will have to purchase packing supplies and that will affect your budget. Especially if you are planning to buy brand new boxes. You will also have to get boxes in various sizes, and the price might vary based on that. If you hire your local movers to help you with packing, they can bring their boxes and they will charge you per item used if you want to use those. This might be a better option because you won’t be risking buying more boxes than you need. And this will keep your budget as it should be. Don’t forget to purchase a lot of packing paper, so you can avoid any potential damages to your items.
Packing service that is done by local movers
Speaking of packing, you should know that hiring local movers for this task will bring additional expenses. It is logical, you will have to pay something extra whether your local movers are charging hourly rates or they are charging flat rates. Either way, you will have some additional expenses when it comes to packing with local movers. Make sure to check that, so you can make the best moving budget ever.
Do you need a storage unit?
Sometimes, moving is not as simple as hiring local movers to relocate your items from point A to point B, but you have to rent a storage unit. Unless your local movers are offering free storage unit (which is rare), you will have the expense of renting one. Depending on the size and the time you need to store your items. The same rule applies to renting a storage unit as for hiring local movers – do your research in detail and you might find a more affordable unit than you think. Shop around and get a couple of estimates to determine the best rate for your storage unit. Plan to spend more if you’re renting a unit in a city versus a suburb or the country, and additional amenities offered by the storage company (including things like climate control and security.
An alternate option to renting a storage unit is renting a storage container. These are generally dropped off at your home for you to fill up, then picked up and stored by the storage container company, and then dropped off at your new location. As with traditional storage units, be sure to get a couple of quotes so you don’t end up spending more than you have to.
Other moving day costs to consider
Moving comes with some additional (expected and unexpected) expenses on a moving day, and here are some of them.
Your transportation: Since local movers won’t allow you to drive inside the truck with them, you will need to factor in your transportation for the moving day. If you are moving close by, this price won’t be that high, but if you are moving quite far away, make sure to put it on the paper.
Multiple-day moving cost: When you are moving from a big home, your local movers might recommend you to split your move into two days. Make sure to consider this when planning a moving budget.
Cleaning costs: It doesn’t matter if you are renting or buying your new home, you will have to make sure that the home you are vacating is clean before you move out. And you will also want to clean your new home before moving in. Unless you are going to do this on your own, you will have to consider the cost of hiring a cleaning company.
Hiring a babysitter (and/or pet care)
A moving site is not a place for your young children or your pets. Local movers will carry heavy furniture around, your kids will be running around seeking fun, and your pets might get too anxious seeing strangers in their homes. All of this will lead to you stressing out to keep everything and everyone safe. The best way to prevent this is to hire a babysitter for your loved ones and have that person bring your kids to your new home once your local movers leave. The same applies to pets. Needless to say that your pets might go out unsupervised because your local movers will have to keep the door open. Make sure your move is done safely.
Purchasing a new property
One of the priciest parts of moving has nothing to do with moving day itself. Real estate costs need to be factored into your overall moving budget and may include things like realtor and lawyer fees, rental deposits and first and/or last month’s rent, home inspection and appraisal fees, down payments, and cleaning and repair fees.
Preparing your new home for moving in
No matter how well-maintained your homes might be, before moving out, you might need to finish some last-minute repairs or painting. The same applies to your new home. You want to settle down as soon as your local movers bring in the furniture. And the last thing that you want is having local movers bring in your furniture, so you have to move it out to paint the walls. Don’t forget about transferring utilities. Some utility companies charge a fee to set up service. Call them to check this out. Once you’re in your new place you’re almost done with moving-related spending, but not quite. Be sure to remember that you’ll probably have additional costs after move-in, too.
New furniture
Make a list of the things you know you’ll be needing for your new home, such as a shower curtain, new couch, window treatments, etc. Take a little bit of pressure off your moving budget by separating these items into those things you need right away and those things you can wait to buy until later. If you are moving on the budget, you should invest more money into hiring the best movers instead of buying new furniture, because you can get it once your moving budget is recovered.
Time off work
Need to take a day or two off for packing and moving? Unless you work for a company that provides paid time off, you’ll need to account for the cost of staying home. If your budget is already tight, try to see if you can arrange your moving schedule in such a way that you don’t need to miss any work.
Rainy day money
No matter how well-planned your moving budget is, you should always leave some money for rainy days, so you don’t have to stress out if you are going to have enough money or not for everything that comes with the moving day. This will help you keep things smooth.
Are you looking for the best Seattle movers to help you with any type of local move? Issaquah Moving Company is the best choice! At your service every day a week, offering exceptional customer support, fantastic and trained local movers, and full moving equipment – all of this included in the price. We are here to make sure you stay within your budget limits on a moving day! And much more than that, we are here to help you plan your upcoming move in the best possible way. Of course, we are transparent with our clients, when it comes to everything, so you won’t have any worry on your mind. Give us a call and let our fantastic customer support agents explain everything related to the services we are offering and also everything that you should know about the moving price. Getting a quote is free, so no need to hesitate anymore. No obligations. We are looking forward to working with you!